I have recently gotten into the Clash, and really like the later stuff, (hey, the early stuff is good too) and was wondering if there were some other bands out there alot like that. Also I am kinda getting into rockabilly and other then the stray cats, I don’t know of any other bands? Who should I listen to?
thanks
Ben
Try **The Reverend Horton Heet **for the rockabilly. IIRC, ** Rancid ** did a pretty good Clash imitation. Also, look into **Billy Bragg. **
Yes, RHH rules the rockabilly school.
Do Southern Culture on the Skids count as “rockabilly?” If not, listen to them anyway. Dirt Track Date is their best album, followed by Ditch Diggin’.
try Brian Setzer for some good Rockabilly - great live show too
I’ll echo the sentiment that Rancid is a pretty good facsimile of The Clash. I recommend their CD Let’s Go.
As for rockabilly, let’s make sure you have some grounding in the classics of the style:
If you like the Stray Cats, then RUN don’t walk down to your local record store and pick up some Eddie Cochran, the artist from whom the Stray Cats borrowed most of their licks.
Also, try some of Elvis’s rockabilly output. (Get Elvis’s Rocker CD, too, if you can find it.) The guy could tear it up in his prime.
Also check out Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, and the Sun Records output of Jerry Lee Lewis.
For that matter, get Chuck Berry’s greatest hits. While not typically categorized as “rockabilly,” Berry is the guy from whom the early white rockabilly artists borrowed their sound.
I’ll second Southern Culture and Rev. Horton Heat.
Tried The Red Elvises? They’re a bunch of Russian guys who do some original music, some rock covers, and a sweet version of Hungarian Dance #5. Sort-of a mix of rockabilly, surf rock and russian folk music. They’ve even got a Balalika player!
The Red Elvises rule, check 'em out in Six String Samurai, now playing at all decent video stores.
Another Clash / Rancid fan checking in. And out come the Wolves… is my favorite but all of the Rancid releases are worth the price IMO.
Rockabilly…Social Distortion or if you can find it The Cadillac Tramps.
Seen these guys nearly 20 times apiece.
Like other people have mentioned, Rancid is often accused of being merely an attempt at another The Clash. I wouldn’t know, never having heard them, but I do love Rancid. My favorite of their albums is * And Out Come the Wolves.*
Another punk band I haven’t seen mentioned here is often compared to The Clash: The Swingin’ Utters. While I haven’t listened to much of them, I’ve liked what I’ve heard. Might want to give 'em a try.
Tanaqui
Since no one has mentioned them - try The Blasters for rockabilly. Came up at about the same time as the LA punk scene ( lead guitarist Dave Alvin later played with a late iteration of the somewhat rockabillified punk band X ). They’ve been sadly defunct for a number of years, but they were a fine, high-energy band in their day. If you have ever seen the movie Streets of Fire, they were the bar band playing in the ‘Bombers’ hangout/club.
- Tamerlane
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Rancid fans, what did you think of the NOFX/Rancid split? I’m a NOFX fan and I really like several of the covers done by them. The Rancid doing the NOFX songs sounded ok(Don’t Call Me White was painful) for the most part, but I think NOFX did a better job. Of course I am biased though.
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The Reverend Horton Heet is good stuff.
dead0man
Social distortion and rancid come to mind the clash also
And theres been a decade long discussion on wether their punk you might try bad religion
Just beware of mike ness’s johnny cash/country phase …
Southern Culture on the Skids is the one the immediately came to mind. The guitar solo on Voodoo Cadillac rocks.
Also, Jason and the Scorchers made some good albums.
Here’s a link which should point you to several current rockabilly acts.
Also, you just missed the Rockabilly Rebel Weekend in Indianapolis, which always features some top current rockabillies. Try to catch it next year.
If you’re ever in Atlanta on Labor Day weekend, the Starlight Drive-in hosts an annual “Drive-Invasion” which features rockabilly acts. Attendees often show up in retro, rockabilly costume.
Also in Atlanta, the Star Community Bar often features rockabilly performers.